In the cities, people lived in rows of rectangular houses laid
out in rows, built of wood and rammed earth. In the center of the
city, there was a big palace or temple (we're not sure which) on a
high earth platform. One building at An-yang was a big hall with
pillars all the way around it, about the size of a modern basketball
court (though that's not what they used it for!).

Reconstruction of the Shang palace or temple at Panlongcheng

There was another, similar building at Panlongcheng. Both buildings probably had thatched roofs. You might compare this building to early Greek temples from around 800 BC, which also have wooden columns all the way around them and thatched, slanted roofs.